Victor Wembanyama CELEBRATED one NBA team missing out on chance to draft him
Victor Wembanyama was pumped that the Houston Rockets did not get a chance to select him with the #1 overall pick
Follow Us
Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama was keenly watching the NBA lottery as the consensus #1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. The NBA draft lottery was met with much anticipation, and Wembanyama, in particular, looked quite happy to see one team miss out on him. The #1 overall pick went to the San Antonio Spurs, who Wembanyama said he was delighted to be drafted by a team with a rich history of French players such as Tony Parker and Boris Diaw.
The team that Wembanyama celebrated not being drafted to were the Houston Rockets, who got the fourth pick in the 2023 NBA draft. The Houston Rockets finished with the same record as the San Antonio Spurs with 22-60 but were not as lucky as them in the lottery. Wembanyama punched the air in delight after hearing the Rockets received the fourth overall pick.
The Houston Rockets have been an unstable franchise over the years and are less glamorous of successful than San Antonio. Houston also has a young core that could use Wembanyama as a stretch five. However, the Spurs have a history of French players and are historical state rivals of San Antonio in Texas. Houston Rockets players would have added incentive while matching up against Wembanyama next season.
Also Read: Who is Victor Wembanyama’s sister, Eve Wembanyama? Know all about her professional basketball career
Victor Wembanyama wants to win a ring in San Antonio
One of the reasons Wembanyama might have been happy he did not go to Houston is their lack of championships. The Rockets last won a title in 1995 with another foreign big-man, Hakeem Olajuwon. Since then, they have not made the NBA Finals again but have been contenders more recently than San Antonio. The Spurs, however, are a historically successful organization that made the playoffs 22 years in a row, the last time they got a #1 overall pick.
Wembanyama spoke to Brian Windhorst after the lottery and said – “I’m gonna make everything to win as many games as I can, and I’m trying to win a ring ASAP, so be ready.” The 7feet 5 inch Frenchman has bold claims for a franchise that last tasted NBA success in 2014. The Spurs last made the playoffs in 2018/19 and missed out after a long consistent run and will look to get back to their height with yet another dominating center.
Wembanyama joins the list of legendary Spurs centers in David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and now himself. After Duncan was drafted in 1997, the Spurs turned their fortunes around from a lottery team to a championship-winning team in 1999 along with David Robinson. Wembanyama hopes to do the same with a young core in San Antonio coached by the same guy who did it in 1999, Gregg Popovich.
In case you missed it:
Do follow us on Google News | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Stay Updated!
Anuj Shrikanth Iyer
(290 Articles Published)